In sociologist Jennifer Silva’s first book, “Coming Up Short,” she interviewed working-class young adults in Lowell, Mass., and Richmond, Virginia. Most had a tough time earning decent wages. Many felt like they were in a perpetual state of limbo, unable to reach the traditional markers of adulthood: job, marriage, house […]
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A Confederate Statue Graveyard Could Help Bury the Old South
An estimated 114 Confederate symbols have been removed from public view since 2015. In many cases, these cast-iron Robert E. Lees and Jefferson Davises were sent to storage. If the aim of statue removal is to build a more racially just South, then, as many analysts have pointed out, putting […]
Read MoreU.S. Health Care: An Industry Too Big To Fail
As I spoke recently with colleagues at a conference in Florence, Italy, about health care innovation, a fundamental truth resurfaced in my mind: the U.S. health care industry is just that. An industry, an economic force, Big Business, first and foremost. It is a vehicle for returns on investment first […]
Read MoreCommentary: Rural America’s Role In The Energy Revolution
Rural communities are understandably concerned about the way local development of renewable energy can affect their lives. In Minnesota, the Rural Energy Dialogues offer a way for communities to name their concerns, learn more about the issues and make decisions that reflect their values and identity. In small towns across […]
Read MoreToothless, Cousin Loving
This piece was originally published in Scalawag, which amplifies the voices of activists, artists and writers reckoning with the South. You can read the original article here. Last month, while the nation was rapt with millionaire heir Hugh Culverhouse’s heroic tale portraying himself as a defender of reproductive rights, some of […]
Read MoreCommentary: Biden’s Record At Odds With Much Of His Rural Plan
Joe Biden joins two other Democratic candidates in releasing a platform outlining his rural policy proposals. But Biden’s rural plan seems inconsistent with many of his votes in his 36-year Senate career. Voters following the 2020 Democratic presidential primary race should be pleased that Joe Biden has joined Senator Bernie […]
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